KUANTAN: Pakistan booked a place in the semi-finals of the Asia Cup hockey tournament after edging arch rivals India 3-2 in a pulsating Group B match at the Kuantan Hockey Stadium yesterday.

In a match which Pakistan must win, following their opening 1-1 draw with China, they had the ball in the net as early as the fourth minute when Tariq Aziz slotted home from the top of the D. But South African umpire Jon Wright blew for a 16-year hit to India as the shot was taken from outside the D.

There was much anticipation in the first half with the expected duel between the two penalty corner specialists Sohail Abbas of Pakistan and Sandeep Singh of India.

Sohail had two chances which failed to bear results. The first attempt failed due to poor stopping of the ball while his second attempt was saved by India goalkeeper Baljit Singh.

Sandeep had one chance but his soft flick was saved by Pakistan goalkeeper Salman Akhbar. The rebound fell to Prabhjot Singh who pushed it in for the opening goal in the 16th minute

Then came the equaliser from Pakistan which was given on a platter. In a quick counter attack, the ball was sent into India’s D and skipper Sandeep tripped over while attempting to get to the ball. Haseem Khan gleefully picked up the loose ball to hit an acute shot into the top of the net in the 33rd minute.

Pakistan started off aggressively in the second half and it took them only a minute after the start to take the lead when Haseem deflected a long ball into goal.

Then the rain came and it slowed down the game. And it benefited India as Rajpal Singh put India level with a field goal in the 46th minute.

Then conditions became unplayable and the game was stopped for 45 minutes.

And when play resumed, Pakistan’s Sohail lived up to his reputation as the best penalty corner specialist in the world with the winning flick in the 54th minute of the delayed game.